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Freed slaves
started Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church shortly after the
end of the Civil War. Not much is known about its early days,
as a fire in the 1920 destroyed the original church records.
Over the decades, Hopewell struggled to stay afloat, as the
surrounding neighborhoods became a haven for drugs and gambling.
Hopewell’s rebirth began in earnest in the 1980, when
William L. Sheals was called as pastor. The membership numbered
just under 200 and held services only twice a month. By 1983,
the church had built a 400-seat sanctuary and was holding
two services each Sunday. Five years later, membership grew
to 2,000 and continued to soar. The current church membership
roll stands at over 17,000. The once small church community
of one building on two acres now has eleven buildings on over
thirty acres.
In addition to a 2,500 seat sanctuary, there is an administration
and education facility, 500 capacity Christian Academy, youth
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after school and
summer day camp, adult fitness center, on-site Bible Institute,
Print Shop, day care center for 150 children 6 weeks to 4 years
old, Christianomics Mall and Training Center including barber shop,
beauty salon, nail salon, restaurant, Christian bookstore, Youth
Bank and Credit Union.
Hopewell offers more than 50 ministries and auxiliaries unmarried
persons, couples teens and children. The Music and Arts Ministry
includes four choirs, along with tape and video ministries and drama,
dance and sign language ministries. Boy and Girl Scout troups are
available, along with an active athletic recreation ministry.
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Our Belief
Statement of Faith |
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We believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible, both the Old
and New Testaments; the Trinity of the Godhead; the creation of
man by the direct act of God; the fall of man and his need for Redemption;
the Deity, Incarnation and Virgin Birth of our Lord and Savior JESUS
CHRIST; His Vicarious Atonement for the sins of man-kind by the
shedding of HIS Blood on the cross; the resurrection of His body
for the tomb; His ascension into Heaven; His personal, imminent
return; the Deity of the HOLY SPIRIT; justification of the believer
by grace through faith; a literal Devil who is our adversary; a
literal Heaven for the redeemed and a literal Hell for the lost;
the infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture to be Scripture
itself; and the requirement of implicit obedience to the expressed
commands of Christ as the standard by which He will judge our love
to HIM. We have without mental reservation of any kind sincerely
receive and adopted the above statement of Faith as being the fundamental
doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures.
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